


I Heard Your Voice in a Dream

by SageMcMae



Series: Sage's Oneshots [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Ben Solo, Devoted Reylo, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Loss of Virginity, Mechanic Rey, Minor RebelCaptain, Mutual Pining, Peachy Ass, Size Kink, Soft Boi Talks Dirty, This Ones for You Robyn, boobie love, say my name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-09 19:20:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17412731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae
Summary: “You don’t remember me, do you Benny?”Suddenly the light went on. He saw beyond the similarities between her and Kira and Ben was forced to face the harsh truth — his creation had never been his own. In fact, it had never even been a creation. A mixture of terror and awe flooded through him as he stared at her, the puzzle pieces all coming together.This wasRey.Rey of Sunshine.Rey of Light.Little Rey.Ben balked. The woman standing before him  —  his perfect woman  —  wasn’t made of fantasy. She was made of memories.





	I Heard Your Voice in a Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ReyloRobyn2011](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/gifts).



> For my friend [ReyloRobyn2011](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/works), who constantly supports my writing through beta'ing, letting me bounce ideas off of her and letting me vent about my AD obsession. This one is for you, dear!

**** Ben Solo stared at his computer screen, the harsh unnatural light steadily burning away at his retinas. With a single finger, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and resumed configuring the color profile for his character’s eyes. He’d been struggling with the layers of emerald, gold and bronze, a delicate balance of all three required before he achieved the vision he held in his mind. 

 

The rhythmic clicking of his forefinger on his mouse, along with his left hand’s tapping along the keyboard was the only sound coupled with the constant hum of his dual monitors. He’d chosen to keep the overhead lights off, not wanting them to offset his palette choices while he put the finishing touches on his character design. 

 

He glanced at the time, unbothered by the fact is was 2:53am. His insomnia was the least of his worries right now. 

 

Ben had started working at iRebel after graduating art school. He was gifted with his hands, able to pull a complete character sketch together in under five minutes. As his skills advanced, so did his career. He started under Alex Ackbar as a Matte Painter, crafting background designs before he was moved to the Compositor team managed by Amilyn Holdo. His design for a battleship called the TIE Silencer won him a Hamburg Animation award, earning iRebel credit among its heftier competitors in the market. From there it was a straight shot to character development and finally to Lead Animator. 

 

With the position came his own office and control over the lead characters for the company’s newest animated film, Black Diamond. The story had been in progress for a couple of years, only recently being unveiled at their all-hands meeting. 

 

It was a complex tale of the battle between dark and light, illustrated in the pair of characters he’d constructed. Kylo Ren and Kira Kenobi were, what some would affectionately call, a labor of love. For the past month, Ben had spent every waking minute sketching, plotting, configuring and rendering his designs for the main characters. 

 

He’d started with Kylo, having decided on an elaborately layered costume for the redeemable villain. The monotone color palette challenged him to include the appropriate amount of shading and highlights to accurately capture how the towering man’s cape would flutter behind him when he stormed down the corridors of his base. The construction of his chrome helmet was another difficult task, forcing Ben to study the reflections of different kinds of light to capture how it would change with Kylo’s surroundings. 

 

Beyond the primary purpose of dressing the character, the costume design also served as a connection to the overall storyline. While Kylo’s garments were the darkest black available (CMYK 75, 68, 67, 90), the way Ben chose to play with light around Kylo demonstrated the character’s internal struggle. On the surface, Kylo was the villain, with intimidating height and cloaked in darkness. Should anyone chose to look closer, they’d see the stiffness in which he moved and realize he wore more than one mask. 

 

The reverse and Kylo’s equal was Ben’s second character, Kira. In contrast, she was clothed from head to toe in off-white and beige colors. Unlike Kylo, who wore a helmet to hid himself, Kira’s hair was pulled away from her face, stacked along the curve of her skull in a unique three tiered bun style. Deep creases in her outfit and the dark shadows, which found their way in all of her scenes, depicted how Kira’s past lingered, haunting her despite her sunny personality. 

 

Having control over these characters gave Ben a feeling of security. Unlike the real world, where he was socially awkward, often resulting in his frustration turning to uncontrollable rage, the world his characters lived in was manageable. Kira was mysterious and alluring, provoking a primal response of possession from Kylo which developed into deeper feelings as the film progressed. 

 

Though Ben was barely able to function in a room full of people, Kylo could command armies and held the loyalty of his knights. Where Ben was blunt and, at times, harsh, Kylo was refined yet direct. 

 

Of course, Kira was softer than either of them, though no less fierce. She was a formidable opponent for Kylo, besting him not once but twice during the film’s run time. 

 

Ben was loathed to admit it, but he found himself fantasizing about his creation. He’d drawn his perfect woman — slim but not skinny, delicate but not weak, young but not naive — and when she’d come to life on his screen, he couldn’t decide if it was a miracle or a curse.

 

Over the last week, he’d dreamt of her repeatedly. It was...distracting, to say the least, especially because none of dreams were appropriate, not that dreaming about a fictional character could be considered either appropriate or not appropriate since they didn’t exist, but still. Ben knew his particular brand of dreams was inappropriate. 

 

Which was why he was here alone at 2:53am working on his characters instead of home in the comfort of his bed. 

 

Hux, the group animator for the Knights of Ren and one of the only people Ben spoke to a iRebel, had suggested he get a girlfriend. But it was a little hard to get behind an app like Tinder when Ben compared every single profile picture to Kira. Luckily, Hux hadn’t caught onto his insane infatuation with his female lead. If he had, Ben was sure the redhead would comment on his extreme level of narcissism.

 

Sighing, the Lead Animator ran a hand through his unruly black hair, as he leaned back in his chair. Ben gazed long and hard at Kira, convinced he was forgetting a crucial element of her overall look. He’d submitted his final design of Kylo last week, but he wasn’t satisfied with Kira yet. 

 

Something was missing. 

 

He’d promised himself that he’d submit her final design to Cassian by the end of the week, which was in precisely fourteen hours and seven minutes. Ben groaned in defeat, bending at the waist and letting his forehead fall forward to rest on the top of his desk. 

 

Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift until he was back in his dreamworld with Kira. Ben focused on her face, cataloging every inch of her smooth skin and flowing hair. In his fantasies, she always wore her hair down, framing her cherub cheeks. Her eyes would light up when she saw him and her cheeks would dimple from her overwhelming smile. 

 

And there it was. 

 

The element he’d been missing. 

 

Freckles. 

 

Ben snapped up, quickly clicking around his art board, adding the detail to his creation. He was so deep in his concentration, he didn’t notice the sunrise, or the slow trickle of his co-workers reporting in. In fact, he didn’t so much as glance up from his screen until he was done. 

 

With a smile, he greeted his finished masterpiece. 

 

His perfect woman. 

 

* * *

 

 

After Cassian had seen Ben’s finished designs, he’d taken them to his wife, the owner and founder of the iRebel, Jyn Erso. 

 

The woman was a legend. A rule-breaker who had defied all odds when becoming the first female animator to win an award. She chose to follow up that milestone by opening her own studio.While Ben was surprised the woman would be interested in his work, he was even more surprised when she asked him to help complete Kira’s character for the film. 

 

The task meant everything from working with the Motion Graphics department to sitting through run after run of the film’s score. It also entailed approving a voice actress to bring Kira to life, which was his current predicament. 

 

None of the women Dopheld Mitaka, the company’s Casting Director, had brought in could do Ben’s character justice. Each of them were flawed in one way or another. They had gone through three rounds of applicants already, before Mitaka called in a favor, stating a friend of a friend had a highly trained actress available. 

 

Initially, Ben thought he’d hit the jackpot. After all, the woman’s resume was chuck-full with years of experience, each film having done better than the prior when it came to box office numbers. He was wholly unprepared for the ego which went along with such a star. 

 

Kaydel Connix arrived thirty minutes late, not even bothering to apologize before she flung her luxury designer bag on an empty chair with a huff. Apparently, the voice-over booth was not to her liking. She paraded around the room in a circle before she finally acknowledged him and Mitaka. 

 

Things had only gone downhill from there. 

 

“No!” Ben growled, slamming his hands down on the tabletop. Mitaka jolted. “No, you’re saying it all wrong,” he reprimanded the woman. 

 

“Excuse me?” the blonde quirked an eyebrow at him. 

 

Ben wanted to scream. The voice actress acted like a princess and she spoke like one even more. Self-entitled and bossy, she was entirely wrong for the role of Kira. Ben wished she’d take a hint, so he didn’t have to spend another day with HR going over how to act professional in front of vendors. 

 

They’d been running lines for over an hour. Each time he corrected her, Ms. Connix grew less and less polite. He wondered if he told her that she was getting a wrinkle between her brow, if she’d call the whole thing off. She hadn’t stormed out yet and he was running out of options. 

 

_Let’s try this again..._

 

Ben brought his copy of the script over to the actress. “She’s his prisoner. She’s frightened, yes, but she’s not weak. She’s defiant.”

 

The woman stared at him, before glancing over to Mitaka who was hovering in the doorway, as if prepared to step in if things got out of hand. 

 

“Do it again,” Ben ordered. He returned to his seat, eyes narrowing as he awaited the woman’s next attempt. 

 

She cleared her throat and furrowed her brow. “I’m _not_ giving you anything.” 

 

“No!” Ben hollered, throwing his script to the ground as he stood up. “No. No. No.”

 

“Ben,” Mitaka ran into the room, stepping between Kaydel and the Lead Animator. “Maybe we should-.”

 

“Get out,” Ben snarled at the blonde. “If you can’t take direction, you shouldn’t be in this business.” 

 

The blonde rolled her eyes at him, mumbling something about ‘biggest asshole in the galaxy’ before she shouldered her bag and hurried out. 

 

“Are you incapable of finding a trained voice actress, Dopheld?” Ben questioned the Casting Director. 

 

“She came highly recommended,” the uneasy man replied. “I’ll find another one to come in by tomorrow.”

 

“Don’t bother,” Ben groused. “I’ll do it myself.” 

 

He stormed out of the building, taking the afternoon off as a mental health day. Consider the number of hours Ben had been working, he doubted Cassian would mind, plus Phasma in HR was probably glad to be rid of him, even if it was only for half a day. 

 

His feet stomped against the sidewalk as he ventured from where the studio was situated on Lah’mu Lane towards his apartment on Chandrila Court. It was roughly ten blocks, but Ben didn’t mind the distance. He needed time outside to clear his head. 

 

Work was typically his escape from the real world, but in the past two months his beloved career had turned into a monster. He no longer found solace behind his computer screen, in the safety of his office. Each day he was forced to mingle with his co-workers, congratulated for his talent and burdened by the legacy he’d created for himself. Cassian had gone so far as to admit Ben could become an Executive Producer one day, if he played his cards right. 

 

It all sounded perfect. 

 

But it wasn’t. 

 

Art had been Ben’s outlet, a way to distract himself from the countless fights his parents got into. It served as hisescape from the reality of his dismal life. The drawings he produced became his guardians when his parents forgot about him to travel for their jobs. His imagination was a constant friend, and his skilled hand brought each unique thought out of his head and onto paper, thereby erasing his miserable existence to craft a better one on a clean slate. 

 

When he’d been a child, Ben hadn’t anticipated his coping mechanism to become a career. He suspected it would remain a hobby that he carried with him well into adulthood. Then he’d discovered art school, which led to his choice to pursue animation and well, the rest, as they said, was history. 

 

He’d considered himself lucky for many years, having held down a successful and steady position at iRebel for over a decade. Two months ago, he had no intention of leaving the company but after the latest disaster of a voice actress, Ben was seriously considering his options. His portfolio was up to date and even though Kylo and Kira were the property of iRebel, once the movie made it to the mainstream, he’d be able to take credit for his part in their creation. It was sure to earn him at least an interview. 

 

Just as he rounded the corner past Jakku Junction, he heard a cry from the alley between the grocer and Niima Outpost, a dive bar. 

 

“Beebee, wait!” 

 

Ben whipped around. He knew that voice. There wasn’t a force on Earth which could keep him from forgetting such perfection. He’d heard her every night, as he sunk into her warmth.

 

_Kira._

 

When he saw the owner, his mind went blank. He forgot every detail about himself and basic knowledge, including how to breathe. 

 

It was _her_. 

 

She was even more gorgeous in person. The first thing he noticed was her striking hazel eyes, followed by her dewy skin smattered with freckles the same color as her chestnut curls, which bounced as she moved. She was tall for a girl, though still a full head shorter than he was and he couldn’t help but think of how perfectly she’d fit tucked under his arm. 

 

The girl darted past him, racing out of the alleyway without so much as an ‘excuse me’ as she went, chasing after a Welsh Corgi. To be honest, he didn’t care that she didn’t notice him. He wouldn’t have cared if she ran him over. The instant he saw her, Ben was under her spell. She didn’t have to do a thing. He was already hers. 

 

Unguarded and sanguine, watching her move was like seeing a specter. Ben couldn’t comprehend his reality. Was he dead? Was this heaven? It had to be because he was pretty sure this girl — _woman_ — was his heaven. 

 

Before he was aware of his own intentions, Ben was running after her. All thoughts of Connix and the dozens of prior voice actresses became distant memories, as the girl with the freckles shouted out once more. 

 

“Beebee!”

 

Ben saw the dog headed for the intersection and picked up his pace. It only took him a few long strides to pass her, as he propelled himself into oncoming traffic to rescue her pup. If had hadn’t died before, he was about to now. 

 

There was a scream and then a loud honk, followed by a slur of expletives. 

 

“Fucking moron!” a particularly enraged driver shouted at him. 

 

Slowly, Ben became aware of a couple things. One, he was in the middle of a busy intersection and two, he had successfully saved the dog from an early demise. 

 

“Oh my God, are you alright?”  


 

Ben steadily raised his face away from the problematic mongrel to peer up at the dog’s owner. His dream girl stood over him, her eyes full of curiosity and genuine concern. With the sun behind her, the natural light haloed her head, giving her an ethereal appearance.   


 

Faintly he realized there was no way he’d ever be able to capture her beauty on screen. She was too pure.   


 

“Um, are you ok, big guy?” She squatted down beside him, flipping off another car, who honked at them for lingering in the street. “That was really heroic of you. Not many people would run into oncoming traffic to save a dog.”  


 

Vaguely he was aware she was speaking to him, but he was unable to respond. In the span of the last sixty seconds, he’d lost all knowledge of the English language.   


 

“Come on,” she smiled, as she placed her hands on his arm, guiding him off the macadam and out of traffic.  


 

Once they were back on the sidewalk, she removed the pup from Ben’s hold. She produced a white an orange leash, clipping it onto the dog’s matching collar. “Beebee,” she sighed, placing the Corgi down. “Your daddy is going to be disappointed in you.”   


 

Ben felt his heart plummet. His stomach roiled at her words. His dream girl was attached.   


 

She had someone waiting for her at home, someone who probably didn’t binge watch classic Anime until they believed they could speak Japanese. No, the man she spent her evenings with probably took her out to fancy dinners and spoiled her with designer bags like the one Connix had tossed around. Her boyfriend probably worshipped the ground she walked on and worshipped her body in bed. In fact, Ben knew the other man did, because that is exactly what he would do, if he was lucky enough to be in the other man’s shoes.   


 

“I’m really sorry for all the trouble,” the brunette apologized. “He normally behaves but my friend is away for work, so in his absence, this mutt turned into Houdini.”

 

_Wait, friend?_  


 

“He’s not yours?”  


 

“No,” she flashed him another sunshine smile. “Beebee is my friend Poe’s dog. I was stopping by to check on him.”   


 

_Good. That’s good,_ he thought, his broken pieces mending as rapidly as they had come apart.   


 

“I really do feel bad about everything,” his dream girl lamented. “My apartment is just a couple of blocks over. Are you sure I can’t get you some water or a tea or something?”  


 

“A water would be good,” he found himself replying.   


 

Her face broke into a full grin. “Great. Let me take this guy back upstairs and I’ll be right back,” she informed him, taking Beebee back down the alley.   


 

Ben watched her go, stunned by his own forwardness to accept her offer, perhaps even more than the fact she was real.   


 

The tiny part of him still capable of rational thought reminded Ben to ask her to consider being a voice actor for them. He knew iRebel paid well, though he also knew his motives for asking weren’t entirely based on his profession. If she agreed to come into the studio, he’d get more time with her.   


 

He would barely need to direct her. She was already perfect for the part. The pitch and tone of her voice was exactly as he imagined. He’d heard the range of emotions she could express in the last five minutes and he was convinced she could bring Kira to life on the big screen.   


 

He only needed her to say ‘yes’.  


 

“Hey,” his mystery girl greeted him, appearing in front of him.   


 

“Hey,” he offered her his hand, recognizing the fact he’d never introduced himself. “I’m Ben, by the way.”  


 

Something flickered in her eyes and her smile faltered. It was such a slight change that he almost missed it.   


 

Almost.  


 

“Ben,” she repeated. “I’m Rey.”  


 

Hearing her say his name made him feel like melting. He was tempted to ask her to call him Kylo, days of suggestive dialogue swirling in his mind from the films script. Ben managed to keep from voicing — what she would probably consider an odd request — out loud.  


 

They walked together in companionable silence, until Rey nodded to a building on the right. “This is me.”  


 

She led him up three flights of stairs to Apartment IX, muttering an obscenity when her door jammed. Ben shouldered it open, savoring the grateful smile Rey gifted him in response. Blush darkened her freckles cheeks, filing him with masculine pride. 

 

He followed her into a modest loft, laid out with the living room and open kitchen set-up at the front and a bathroom-bedroom area at the back. The kitchen table was littered with papers, sloppy looping scrawl all over them along with several tools he wasn’t familiar with.   


 

Her walls were lined with large photos. One featured Rey with a pair of older men, one bearded and harsh looking while the other had a gentle smile and a milky consistency to his eyes. She looked happy, wedged between them both.   


 

The picture next to it was Rey, smiling again, standing next to a bohemian guy about his parent’s age. His arm was slung over her shoulders and there was a helicopter behind them.   


 

Besides that was a photo of Rey doing yoga with a burly dark-skinned man, who appeared as though he would have been more at home in a bunker surrounded by guns than on a mat in the middle of the beach. They were surrounded by crystal blue water, grinning as they completed their warrior pose.   


 

The final picture in the line-up was Rey in the middle of a large group of people, the first set which actually featured others her own age. There was a line up of shots in front of her and everyone in the picture was laughing, including Rey.   


 

“That’s from my twenty-first last April,” she explained, when she caught him staring.   


 

“You look happy.”  


 

It was a dumb thing to say. Of course she was happy. She had a wide array of friends and probably not a care in the world, not like him who had been questioning whether or not to see a shrink because he was attracted to his fictional character.   


 

Although Kira wasn’t fictional. Her doppelgänger was standing right next to him.   


 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do?” Ben questioned.   


 

“I’m a mechanical engineer,” she replied proudly.  


 

“Oh.” It wasn’t what he’d been expecting, though to be honest, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He’d never anticipated finding anyone who altered his entire world the way Rey had.   


 

“How about you?” She asked, the same flicker he’d noticed earlier occurred. Ben couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Nervousness? Flirtation?   


 

God, he hoped it was the later.   


 

“I’m an artist. I work for iRebel,” he told her.   


 

She let out a giggle, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back to shoot him an amused expression. “You don’t say?”  


 

“Yeah, are you familiar with them?”  


 

She nodded, “You could say that.”  


 

His brow furrowed in confusion.   


 

“You don’t remember me, do you Benny?”  


 

Suddenly the light went on. He saw beyond the similarities between her and Kira and Ben was forced to face the harsh truth — his creation had never been his own. In fact, it had never even been a creation. A mixture of horror and awe flooded through him as he stared at her, the puzzle pieces all coming together.   


 

This was _Rey_.   


 

Rey of Sunshine.  


 

Rey of Light.  


 

_Little Rey._  


 

Ben balked. The woman standing before him wasn’t made of fantasy. She was made of memories.

  


_“Benny!”_

_  
_

_He rolled his chair back just in time to catch the ball of energy which launched itself at him._

_  
_

_Ten-year-old Rey Erso-Andor barreled into his midsection with a happy cry, her tiny arms attempting to reach around him in a hug._

_  
_

_“Sorry, Ben,” Amilyn sighed when she appeared at his cube, out of breath. “She got away from me again.”_

_  
_

_“Not behaving, Rey?” he quirked a brow at the mischievous little deviant._

_  
_

_“What else is new?” the kid shrugged._

_  
_

_Ben bit his lip to keep from laughing. He schooled his expression carefully before responding to Amilyn, “I can watch her, if you want. I know you have the Blue Harvest meeting today.”_

_  
_

_The amethyst-haired woman stared at him, as if unsure how to take his offer._

_  
_

_“I don’t mind,” he quickly added._

_  
_

_And, honestly, he didn’t._

_  
_

_For the past few months, his employer’s only child had been reigning terror on the office. She chased away nanny after nanny, forcing her parents to let her tag along to the studio. Amilyn, being one of the only staff members Rey tolerated, was usually chosen to watch her, but the girl had taken a liking to Ben ever since he drew her a bird-like creature he dubbed a Porg. Ever since that day, she always found her way to his desk._

_  
_

_He ignored the way the other painters stared at him, not interested in babysitting when they could continue their work on the upcoming film. If anyone found it odd that out of all the employees at iRebel, Rey would chose sullen Ben Solo, they surely would have been floored to learn he enjoyed her visits as well._

_  
_

_Rey was like a breath of fresh air, always sparking his imagination with her unique take on things and a curiosity which couldn’t be denied. She didn’t take anything for granted and wasn’t afraid to ask questions if she didn’t understand something. To put it plainly, Rey saw the world differently. He suspected it had something to something to do with the fact both her parents were artists.  
_

 

_They talked about everything and nothing at the same time. On nice days, they would sit together at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard. Ben would give Rey one of his sketchbooks and some pencils, while he worked in charcoal on a larger pad across from her._

_  
_

_Unlike his peers, Rey didn’t make comments about his glasses or the fact his ears were a bit too big for his face. She never seemed to notice those things. For a ten-year-old, she was quite intuitive, a point she’d proven time and time again, though none was as satisfying as the day she called Hux out on his bullshit._

_  
_

_They’d been in the cafe that day, due to the rain and the redhead came in for a power bar. Rey shrunk down in her seat, causing Ben to raise an eyebrow. She liked everyone and everyone liked her — well except for the nannies — so why was she afraid of Hux?_

_  
_

_“Hey Solo, still babysitting?” the other man queried, pointedly ignoring the child._

_  
_

_“It has no impact on my project,” Ben shrugged. “I’ll still meet the deadline.”_

_  
_

_“If you say so,” Hux rolled his eyes. “You know nice guys finish last, right?”_

 

 

_Ben scowled. He knew his fellow painters didn’t appreciate his extra task, but he’d never suspected it would hinder his career advancement opportunities._

_  
_

_“My dad’s a nice guy,” Rey pipped up. “He didn’t finish last. He has more awards than anyone else here, besides my mum. She’s nice too…when she wants to be.”_

_  
_

_Hux glared at her. “Quiet, brat. The grown-ups are talking.”_

_  
_

_Ben didn’t like his tone, or the term grown-up. At the tender age of twenty, he didn’t feel grown up. He felt scared. Making it on his own wasn’t easy, though it was rewarding, especially knowing he didn’t have the support of his family. His father never did understand his choice of careers, but Ben had made it. He had branched off on his own path and Rey was a part of that. She didn’t deserve to spoken to with such condescension. He opened his mouth to tell Hux off, but Rey beat him to it._

_  
_

_“I don’t see any grown-ups here,” she snarked._

_  
_

_Ben chuckled. She certainly was her mother’s daughter, all sharp wit and stubbornness. Hux turned his icy blue eyes on him, a retort poised on the tip of his tongue._

_  
_

_“I have a character like you,” Rey went on, cutting off whatever nasty response Hux had planned. “I call him General Hugs. Dad says that’s ironic, since he’s the villain. Mom says he looks like you. She helped me work on his face so it looks...what’s that word? Oh yeah, constipated. Just like you!”_

_  
_

_Rey practically beamed, awfully pleased with herself. Hux looked ready to combust. His hands clenched at his sides, as he eyed both of them. Then he stormed out, grumbling something about, “perfect for each other.”_

_  
_

_Rey and Ben laughed about it for hours, content to spend the rest of the day together in a corner of the cafe drawing._

_  
_

_It was always like that between them, comfortable and fun. Ben didn’t worry about keeping up appearances or censoring himself. He didn’t have to. Rey accepted him as he was._

_  
_

_After each of her visits, Ben found himself sketching for hours at home. It was as if she jump-started his creative process. His best work always came after he’d spent time with her. Even though he’d get only an hour or two of sleep on those nights, Ben would return to the office the next morning with a clear head and a work ethic none of his coworkers could hope to achieve. Especially not Hux._

_  
_

_His progress hadn’t gone unnoticed. Ackbar mentioned an opening in Amilyn’s department, which not only meant a pay increase and an extra week of vacation, but he’d be able to create more. His opinion would be considered in final decisions for their next project. It was everything Ben wanted._

_  
_

_“I don’t mind,” he reiterated to his potential new boss. Turning to Rey, he offered her his hand. “Wanna go see what we can buy at the vending machines?”_

_  
_

_“Yes!”_

_  
_

_He almost laughed at her elated smile._

  

_Almost._

_  
_

_Rey was easy to please — mention food and she was all in._

  


Ben wondered if she was still as easy to please. She’d matured in the past ten years, in more ways than one. He inwardly groaned. Had it really been that long?   


 

Before he could remember when he’d last seen her, a far more pressing fear came up.  


 

He was _so_ fired.   


 

Cassian and Jyn has seen Kira’s character design, every little detail. There was no way they’d hadn’t recognized their daughter. Ben felt his stomach cramp and his vision flicker as anxiety rippled through him.   


 

“Benny?” Rey was there, a hand on his arm to steady him and another on his back, gently rubbing circles. “Are you alright, big guy?”  


 

She guided him to the couch, helping him take a seat before rushing to the kitchen to retrieve him a glass of water.   


 

“You’re really pale,” she remarked, handing the cup over.   


 

He muttered a ‘thanks,’ not really listening as his mind whirled chaotically. How had they not taken him to the police yet? If there was one thing more important to the Erso-Andors than their company, it was their daughter.   


 

“Benny?”   


 

Self-loathing washed over him, but he couldn’t resist glancing up at her face. Concern marred her normally happy expression, eyes trained on his, searching for any indication of pain or discomfort.   


 

“What’s wrong?”  


 

“You...you’re all grown up,” he breathed.   


 

Her nose scrunched up. Then she laughed. “I always hated that word,” Rey mentioned. “It makes me feel like I have to have my shit all figured out and, spoiler-alert, I don’t.”  


 

“Y-you...did you know who I was in the intersection?”   


 

“No,” she admitted. “It wasn’t until you told me your name.” She paused for a moment, before admitting, “I remember you a lot bigger.”

 

“To a ten-year-old, I’m huge,” he replied, without thinking. 

 

Rey laughed again, such a pure and light sound. “I guess that’s true, but your hair is longer now and your glasses are different.” 

 

Ben supposed that was fair. He’d tried hiding his more embarrassing features as he rose in the ranks at iRebel, hoping his appearance wouldn’t deter any promotions he might be up for.“Yeah,” he finally responded. “I let it grow out.” 

 

“It looks good,” she commented, reaching over to ruffle her fingers through it. 

 

He froze, his mind and body having two extremely different reactions. While the red flags and warning bells went off in his head, his lower half was traveling down a very different train of thought. 

 

Why did she have to be so perfect? 

 

He needed to get a hold of himself before he did something foolish. “How long have you been a mechanical engineer?” 

 

“I just graduated in May, so officially, about a month or so,” Rey answered. “Unoffically, a lot longer. While I was living on the East Coast, I worked at Rebel Alliance to put myself through school.”

 

Ben’s brow creased. “Your parents didn’t pay for your education?” 

 

She shrugged. “I didn’t want them to finance me. I didn’t want to be _that_ girl, you know?” Rey went on. “They are like film royalty around here. By the time I graduated high school, I just wanted to be away from it all. I didn’t want to be known for what my parents accomplished. I wanted to be recognized for my own.” 

 

He couldn’t fault her for her logic. In fact, it actually made her more attractive. Here was a girl who could have gone anywhere in the world to study. Hell, she probably didn’t even need a job, considering the amount of money her parents’ company pulled in. And yet, she chose to strike out on her own and build her life without their help. 

 

It was impressive. 

 

“What about you, Benny?” She plopped down onto the couch next to him. “What have you been up to?” 

 

“I’m Lead Animator now,” he blurted out, unable to hold back his desire to impress her. 

 

Her eyes widened. “That’s awesome! Congratulations!”

 

“Yeah, but I probably won’t be after today,” he grumbled, before rehashing his day to her, including how Connix had stormed out of the studio. “So I should probably start looking for a new position.” 

 

“Don’t be silly,” she laughed, waving his concerns off. “I’m sure you’ll find the right person for the job.” 

 

_I already have_ , he thought. 

 

Taking a long sip of water, he considered asking her, despite the risks. What was the harm in asking her to come in? She’d voice the character, see her parents and that would be that. No harm, no foul. Right? 

 

“Actually,” he struggled to voice his request out loud. “I…I was wondering if you’d do it.” 

 

“Me?” 

 

“Yes,” Ben nodded. “You’re…Kira is…she reminds me a lot of you.” 

 

“Really?” She looked utterly tickled by the revelation. “That’s pretty awesome. Is she like a customer service representative by day and an erotica author by night or a bad-ass assassin?”

 

“Um…not exactly,” he replied, instantly regretting saying anything, as his mind filled with images of Rey — Kira — changing from a tight pencil skirt with glasses into a tight black leather jumpsuit. 

 

_Stupid imagination!_

 

“She’s a warrior,” Ben clarified. “Being trained by a magical monk.” 

 

“That’s unique,” Rey said. 

 

“It won’t be anything, if I can’t find someone to give her a voice,” he muttered. 

 

Regardless of how many years they’d gone without talking, Ben found himself falling into the same simple cadence they’d always shared. The age gap was nonexistent as he shared his problem with her, seeing the gears working in her mind as she listened. She’d always been what he needed, calming him down after a rough morning or consoling him when he hit a mental roadblock with his art. And like before, she was about to help him again. 

 

“I’ll do the voice recording,” Rey agreed. Ben sighed in relief. “If,” she prompted and his heart stuttered in his chest.

 

“If?”

 

“If you agree to stay for dinner.” 

 

“Dinner?” Ben heard his voice rise an octave. 

 

“Yeah, Benny,” she rolled her eyes as if her request was about to be the ultimate test of his will power. “It’s been a long time. I want to catch up.” 

 

Ben was faintly aware of nodding in agreement, because as terrible as it was to tempt fate, he never had been able to deny Rey anything. 

 

* * *

 

They’d spent the better part of the afternoon catching up. As he suspected from her photos, Rey had been all over the world, first living with her godfathers in China, before spending some time in Thailand, and then finally circling back around to Britain to live with her uncle for a time, until she chose to pursue a degree back in the States.

 

“Will your parents be surprised to see you tomorrow?” 

 

“Maybe,” she laughed. “I haven’t been to the studio in years.”

 

Ben knew. 

 

One day she’d been there and the next, poof, gone, as if she’d never even existed. He’d thought about asking Amilyn about it dozens of times, but each time he went to ask her, he chickened out, too afraid of the backlash from his peers. Their cruel looks were bad enough when he had Rey in his corner, without her, he wasn’t sure he could keep his insecurity from turning into anger.

 

“You never said goodbye,” he commented offhandedly. 

 

“I didn’t have a choice,” Rey replied, her voice quieter. The smile was gone. “We left early that morning. My grandfather died.”

 

He vaguely remembered Jyn taking time off work. It was unusual for her to leave the studio for more than a couple of days, if she wasn’t at a conference, but Ben had been too busy acclimating to his new team at the time. He hadn’t paid much attention to her sudden absence. 

 

“Galen wasn’t...” Rey trailed off, scrunching up her face. “I only met him once before. Mum and him had a complicated relationship and Dad never liked him much.”

 

Ben reached over, taking her hand in his. She gave it a little squeeze, before continuing.

 

“I’d never seen my mum cry before. I don’t think I really understood what was going on at the time,” she explained. “Dad and her got into a fight about what to do and in the end he didn’t come with us. I think she cried more over that than her father. Afterwards, Baze and Chirrut offered to take me, to give them some time to get back on track.”

 

She paused for a moment, collecting herself. 

 

“I didn’t understand what they were going through or how hard it was for them to let me go,” she expressed. “It wasn’t until I saw what others were living through, how people who experienced real battles got by that I understood. Mum lost her parents at a young age. She struggled to show me how to act and Dad, well, it was the same story. Neither of them had a real childhood. When Galen came back into my mother’s life, it set off everything she’d worked so hard to build and it made my dad act overly protective. At the time, they weren’t able to be what I needed, but they loved me enough to acknowledge that and sent me to live with people who could be what I needed.”

 

Rey admitted she felt as though they’d abandoned her at first, until she realized how blessed she was to have such an experience. Ben wished he could share her optimism. Abandonment and disappointment went hand in hand when he thought of his own parents. 

 

“Do you still talk to them?” Ben asked.

 

“Every day,” she nodded. “We’re closer now than ever.”

 

He wondered if things would have been different for him if his parents had sent him away instead of ignoring him. Would he have matured into a well-rounded, compassionate person like Rey? Or would his dark anger still have poisoned him? 

 

“Anyways, enough of my sob story,” Rey announced, jumping up off the couch. “Do you like mac n’ cheese?” She flashed him a grin over her shoulder as she headed into the kitchen. 

 

“Sure,” Ben called after her.

 

He hadn’t expected Rey to cook for him. His mother had never been one to spend time in the kitchen and the two brief relationships he’d been in during his college years had never progressed to that level of intimacy. 

 

Rey banged around, metal pots and pans clanking together as she foraged for the correct one. Ben was surprised when she pulled out two narrow, blue boxes with a familiar red lined logo on them. 

 

He couldn’t hold back his laugh. “Really?”

 

“What?” She returned his laughter, adding water to the large pot. “It’s Kraft. It’s an American classic! I haven’t had it in ten years, don’t judge.” She stuck out her tongue at him, as if she really was the same ten year old girl who had kept him company all those years ago. 

 

“I could order us something, so you don’t have to cook,” he offered. 

 

“Don’t be silly,” she waved him off. “You’re my guest, besides it’s the least I can do since you saved Beebee.”

 

While Rey worked on their dinner, Ben watched. Her movements were graceful, not at all like the clumsy little kid she’d once been. Her lean limbs reached and flowed through the necessary actions with finesse. 

 

Just like Kira.

 

In creating his main character, Ben had never questioned how she would act. He’d always known. She’d been so real in his mind, so vivid unlike any character he’d created before, with the exception of Kylo. Though his male lead hadn’t required the level of detail Kira had, due to his head being covered by a mask. 

 

Ben had never been able to put a face to the villain. Each time he started to draw it out, the image was never correct. Much like grappling to pinpoint Kira’s missing freckles, he felt as though he was missing something when he considered Kylo’s face. He hadn’t worried over it. There was no plans for Kylo to remove his mask in the film. If they did a sequel, he’d worry about it then. 

 

Besides, he realized he had much more pressing concerns right now. 

 

Like how to avoid staring at Rey’s ass as she rose on her top toes to grab fresh water glasses from the top shelf.

 

“Here,” he rushed over to her. “Let me.”

 

“Thanks,” Rey smiled up at him, before turning back to their meal. 

 

Ben felt his lips pull up into a small grin. It was easy to lose himself in her, as easy as breathing. She was like a security blanket, warm and well known, offering him a safe place to let his guard down and simply be himself. If he wasn’t careful, he wouldn’t be able to let her go.

 

Once the film wrapped, there would be no need for her to spend time with him. Any contracted work she did for the studio would be closed and he’d have no excuse to see her. 

 

Maybe that was for the best. 

 

He still wasn’t sure how he had a job. Any leniency Cassian and Jyn were showing him would certainly not extend far enough to permit their employee to date their daughter.

 

Their daughter who was ten years his junior.

 

Their daughter who he used to babysit.

 

Their daughter who lit up the room with her pearly white teeth and dimpled cheeks. 

 

Their daughter who saw the world as one big adventure.

 

Their daughter who he was falling for.

 

“Here you go,” Rey handed him a steaming bowl.

 

His conflict ebbed into the far recesses of his mind as he followed her back to the couch. They lounged together, Rey flicking on the TV and choosing a Law and Order rerun. 

 

They ate in companionable silence, Rey practically inhaling her bowl in the time it took Ben to have a few bites. Even if she had grown into an attractive woman, her interest in food remained unchanged. 

 

“God,” Ben chuckled. “I can’t remember the last time I had Kraft Mac & Cheese.” 

 

“It’s still the best,” Rey insisted, running her finger along the inside of her bowl and sucking the unnatural yellow goop off of it. 

 

Ben’s chuckle died in his throat as he watched her, his pants becoming uncomfortably tight as all the blood rushed south. She hummed happily around the digit leaving Ben to suppress a whimper. He’d managed to make it through dinner without embarrassing himself, but his resolve was rapidly waning at the sight of her pink tongue darting out to lick around the lip of the bowl. 

 

“Thanks for dinner,” he shot up, keeping his bowl in front of him. “I’ll get out of your hair.”

 

Rey arched an eyebrow at him, clearly confused by his sudden change in demeanor. “I can give you a ride home,” she suggested, setting her bowl down. 

 

“No, no, it’s ok, I only live a few blocks away,” he hastily replied. 

 

And promptly kicked himself.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “I walk to work every day.”

 

“Wanna meet up tomorrow on the way into the studio?”

 

_Yes,_ his duplicitous brain responded, as Ben scrambled to think of a reason why they shouldn’t walk together. He had to limit his interaction with her. He’d already overstayed his welcome in her apartment. If he continued to linger here, he’d never leave. 

 

“I get up early,” he stated, hoping the excuse would suffice. 

 

“So do I,” she chirped. “I know a great coffee shop on the way. They open at six.” 

 

Well, he did like coffee…

 

“I’ll be here at quarter of.”

 

* * *

 

Ben didn’t sleep much that night. He had always had trouble staying asleep, but after visiting with Rey, he was unable to shut his mind off. His body was a hot bed of electrical currents, neurons firing off in every direction as his mind ping-pinged back and forth over what to do about their renewed relationship. 

 

On one hand, he was worried about Cassian and Jyn’s reaction. On the other, he was quickly coming to terms with the fact his subconscious concocted a perfect replica of Rey as his quote-unquote perfect woman. 

 

And she was. 

 

Which was why he showed up at her door at exactly 5:45am the following morning. 

 

“Morning Benny!” She greeted him, her skin freshly washed and her voice clear. 

 

Obviously she hadn’t spent the entire night tossing and turning while debating the moral and ethical repercussions of pursuing a relationship. Then again, Ben wasn’t even sure if she saw him the way he saw her. It was clear she had plenty of friends and probably just as many people interested in her. He swallowed, a new dilemma hitting him.

 

Ben had spent the entire night focused on if he should or shouldn’t be attracted to _her_. He’d never stopped to consider if she was attracted to _him_. His stomach flipped. 

 

What if someone asked her on a date while he was figuring things out? What if someone at the studio gave her their number? Right in front of him? 

 

He didn’t realize he was clenching his fists until Rey’s delicate hands closed over one. 

 

“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” 

 

“Huh?” Ben yanked his hand away from hers. “No, sorry, I’m fine,” he assured her, missing the disappointment in her eyes. 

 

She directed him to Fathier Froth, waving cheerily at the girl behind the counter. “Morning Rose!”

 

“Hey Sunshine, how are you?” 

 

The girls chatted, while Ben reviewed the menu, pretending to be interested in something other than his standard cup of black coffee. But when the girl asked him what he’d like, he ordered his plain cup to go. 

 

Rey got a sugar-filled espresso drink and promised the barista that she’d see her later. 

 

“Friend of yours?” Ben asked, as they made their way to the studio. 

 

“Rose is dating Poe’s roommate, Finn. Her sister works for your sound effect company, Skywalker Sound,” Rey informed him. 

 

He made a noncommittal noise, nodding before he took a sip of his drink.

 

“Wow,” he breathed, holding the cup away from him to inspect it.

 

“I told you it was good!” Rey exclaimed delightedly.

 

Ben tried not to smile as they continued walking. So far, he wasn’t doing well. Not well at all. 

 

If he wanted to persuade himself not to get any more involved with Rey than he already was, he was doing a poor job of it. Ben caught every sparkle in her eyes, saw every highlight of her hair when she crossed under a street lamp and counted every single freckle that crossed the bridge of her nose. 

 

And his infatuation wasn’t limited to her appearance. 

 

Rey talked non-stop about everything from the latest gossip in the media to the last concert she’d seen. Ben didn’t much care about any of the specifics. He just enjoyed hearing her speak. After weeks of being unable to find someone who didn’t sound nasally like Hux or whiny like Connix, Rey’s soothing tone was refreshing. 

 

He forgot where they were walking, nearly missing the entrance to iRebel. 

 

“Ben?”

 

It was the first time she’d called him Ben since he introduced himself and the difference between her childhood nickname and his actual name had his stomach flipping for an entirely new reason. 

 

She was waiting patiently for him to swipe them into the studio. Hurriedly, he scanned his badge and escorted her up to the sound booth for the recording. 

 

“Good morning, Ben,” Mitaka greeted him, as they entered. “I got your message about the new voice-.”

 

The Casting Director stopped speaking as recognition dawned.

 

“Hi, I’m Rey,” she extended her hand, all smiles and pleasantries. 

 

“I...I know who you are Miss Erso-Andor,” Mitaka returned, looking about ready to swallow his tongue. 

 

Rey’s face scrunched up the way it did when Ben noticed she didn’t like something. “Please call me, Rey.”

 

“Yes, of course, Miss-.”

 

“Mitaka,” Ben warned.

 

“Errr...Rey.”

 

“You don’t have to stick around, Mitaka,” Ben informed him. “I’ll handle this.”

 

“Sure, sure, whatever you say, Ben.”

 

Once the door shut and the tittering man was gone, Ben found Rey grinning over at him as she fixed a pair of headphones over her ears. 

 

“It’s just us now,” she said.

 

Ben flushed straight to the tips of his ears before he realized she was reading the dialogue prompt in front of her.

 

She was perfect. 

 

And he was a goner. 

 

* * *

 

They made good progress, but by lunch Ben was more than ready for a break. Rey’s stomach grumbled its own response when he asked if she was hungry. 

 

“I should probably swing by Mum’a office before we go down to the cafe,” she mentioned as they exited the booth. 

 

Ben tensed, ready to tell her he’d meet her downstairs when she took his hand. His mind shorted out. He blindly followed her through the line up of cubes to the corner office, barely registering the English lit which told them to enter after Rey knocked.

 

“Stardust,” Jyn rose from her desk, immediately crossing the room when her eyes fell to her daughter.

 

The Lead Animator felt as though he was witnessing a private moment. Slowly, he backed out of the office, but his escape was blocked by a graying man with tan skin and shimmering eyes. 

 

“Polvo de estrellas,” Cassian joined the hug between his wife and daughter. 

 

“Hola Papa,” Rey huffed him back, smiling at Ben over her father’s shoulders. 

 

Ben took a step back, prepared to bolt. 

 

“Solo, get in here,” Cassian ordered, releasing his daughter. 

 

Ben’s cheeks burned as he moved, instantly heeding his supervisor’s command. 

 

“I was wondering when you’d get around to it,” the older man winked at Ben, patting him on the back.

 

Ben’s brow furrowed. “With Rey,” Cassian clarified. 

 

“Sir?”

 

“Kira is Rey, isn’t she?” Ben nodded. “And you’re Kylo. That’s one hell of a grand romantic gesture. Wish I would have thought of it.”

 

Ben shot a glance to the subject of their discussion, pleased when he noticed she was busy talking to her mother and didn’t appear to have heard. 

 

Was that true? Had he subconsciously drawn them together, a perfect match because deep down he’d always thought of himself and Rey that way? Was that why Kira looked like her and why he couldn’t decide on a face for Kylo? 

 

“It’s alright, you know,” Cassian chuckled. “Can’t say I’m comfortable with the idea of her dating yet, even though she’s twenty, but I’m her father. I’ll never be ready.”

 

“Uh, we’re not...I mean, I haven’t asked-.”

 

“Maybe you should,” Cassian advised. He patted Ben on the back once more, then went to his girls.

 

Ben watched them, silently pondering over his supervisor’s words. 

 

* * *

 

Ben and Rey fell into a routine after that. With Cassian’s blessing, Ben didn’t feel as conflicted about meeting Rey every morning. In fact, the only struggle he experienced was how to go about asking Rey on a date. 

 

Instead of worrying over his job or whether or not there was something wrong with him for falling for a girl ten years younger than he was, he spent every waking minute analyzing Rey’s interactions with him, as if there was some way he decode her feelings. 

 

“What is with you?” Hux snapped one morning while Ben snuck out of the sound booth to grab a couple water bottles.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“What is going on with you, Solo? You’re acting strange. Did all your new responsibility go to your head?”

 

“No, I’m just-,” _falling in love with my boss’s daughter,_ his mind finished for him.

 

And it was crazy, but it was true. Rey had been back in his life for one week and already Ben was Googling ring shops in the downtown area. He hadn’t even asked her on a date yet, despite Cassian’s approval. Still, he spent a good portion of his sleepless evenings doing research, just in case. 

 

“Just what, Solo?” Hux grumbled, looking annoyed. 

 

Ben inwardly groaned. He didn’t have time to play twenty questions with his sorta-not-really friend. “Now’s not a good time, Hux,” he replied, grabbing two bottles of water. 

 

“Why?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Did you dip your pen in the company ink or something, Solo?”

 

Ben heard the plastic crackle as his hand closed around one of the bottles too tightly. 

 

“Oh hey, General Hugs, how’s it going?” Rey strolled into the break room with an air of confidence Ben had never possessed.

 

His red headed coworker scanned her from head to toe, squinting because he clearly remembered her but couldn’t place from where. 

 

“Can’t remember, huh?” Rey asked, jumping up to sit on the counter next to where Ben was standing. “Does the term ‘constipated asshole’ mean anything to you?”

 

Hux’s face contorted into a mix of rage and horror. “You little bra-.”

 

“Be very careful what you say next, Hux,” Ben growled, stepping in front of Rey. 

 

The redhead’s eyes flickered between them. “That explains it,” he sneered. “Why you always got promoted. Hope she was a good lay.”

 

Two things happened simultaneously. One, Ben’s fist connected with Hux’s nose and two, Rey leapt to her feet, her fist flying out to hit the same target as Ben’s, only a second later, which resulted in Hux collapsing to the floor with a shout. He grabbed his face, blood spilling all over the white tiled floor.

 

“Come on,” Ben grabbed Rey’s hand before anyone came to see what all the fuss was about. 

 

He practically yanked her out of the studio and didn’t stop until they were inside his apartment. 

 

“I can’t believe I just did that,” he babbled, pacing his living room while Rey sat on his couch watching him. “He’s going to press charges. I could get fired. I could get arrested!”

 

“Ben, it will be fine. Come sit down,” Rey coaxed him, patting the spot next to her. “Ben.”

 

“Fuck, Rey, I’m sorry,” he apologized, his heart thundering in his chest. 

 

How was she so calm? He’d lost it. He’d struck a man. So much for counseling and a peaceful work environment. His inner demons were still alive and well. There was no way he could ask her out now. Not like this. 

 

“Ben,” she called out his name.

 

His eyes found hers and suddenly she was all he saw. Just like that first day she’d run past him, his vision narrowed in until the entire apartment disappeared and it was just them.

 

Maybe it was the adrenaline or maybe he’d denied himself too long, either way, Ben’s will power collapsed in on itself. 

 

In the next second, he was on her, hands skimming down her back, cupping the globes of her peachy ass. Rey combed her fingers through his hair as he dipped her back to press his lips against hers. Heat erupted in his core, his thick thighs tensing as he felt himself harden. Rey moaned against him and he knew he needed to see her. 

 

All of her. 

 

He ripped the shirt down the middle, unable to control his urges any longer. Rey let out a surprised squeal, but the second his lips rolled over her pert nipple, the squeal morphed into a moan. Her hands grasped at his head, angling him against her breast. His own hands were working to undo her pants, peeling them down her legs until she was able to step out of them. 

 

“Bedroom. Now,” he ordered hoarsely. 

 

Rey was obedient, hopping so she could tear her socks off as she went into the darkened room. Ben followed right behind her, yanking his shirt over his head and shucking his pants off, so he matched her state of undress. 

 

She laid down on his mattress and his breath caught in his throat. Rey was gloriously bare from head to toe, pupils blown, lips parted, entirely at his mercy. When he crawled on top of her, he was floored by their size difference. His palm nearly covered her abdomen. He decided next time, he’d grab both her wrists in one hand and use his other to bring her to the brink as many times as possible, just so he could hear her scream his name the way she had in his dreams. 

 

For now, he’d take care of her in other ways. 

 

Ducking his head down, he recaptured her nipple in between his teeth, drawing the tip of his tongue over the sensitive bud over and over again, while his hand snaked down to her throbbing center. He traced his two of his fingers over her slick lips, pleased to find her ready and waiting for him. She keened when he switched breasts and plunged one digit into her cunt. 

 

“Say my name, Rey,” he demanded. 

 

“Ben,” she moaned, her hips bucking towards his hand. 

 

He held back his own moan, feeling the head of his cock rub against her inner thigh as she moved. 

 

“What do you need, angel?” 

 

“You. I need more of you, please.” 

 

Ben continued working a finger inside of her, as he reached into his bedside table to grab a condom. 

 

“No, I don’t want that,” Rey shook her head, batting his hand away. 

 

“Rey, we-.” 

 

“I’ve never done this before,” she confessed, eyes wide as she bit her lower lip. “I…I was waiting for you.” 

 

Possessiveness, unlike anything he’d ever felt before, flooded through him, making him painfully hard against her. She wanted him. She had wanted him all along. She’d saved herself and now he was going to be her first. Her only. Ben decided right then and there he was going to be her only. He tossed the condom away, forgotten after her confession. 

 

“I’m going to take such good care of you, angel,” he kissed her pulse point, quickening the pace of his finger while adding another one to prepare her. “Wanna hear you scream for me. Let everyone know who you belong to, Rey.” 

 

“You, ah, Ben,” she hissed and whined and writhed beneath him. 

 

He thrust another finger in, while licking a stripe from one nipple to the next. Ben took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could, sucking it gently. His free hand massaged her opposite breast and his fingers increased their speed. Rey’s hips canted in time with his ministrations, her core taking him in further and further as she did. He released her breast with a slick pop. 

 

“Love your tits, Rey,” he sighed. “So perky and sweet.”

 

“Ben, fuck, please,” she whined. “Please.” 

 

“I know what you need, angel,” he kissed her. “And now I’m going to give it to you.” 

 

He slid all the way in with a single thrust, burying his cock in her tight heat. They both let out a cry, taken over by the intense feeling of being together. For a moment, all Ben could do was hold onto her, as she adjusted to his size. Seeing her completely filled by his shaft almost had him coming. He could see the outline in the soft flesh of her stomach, reminding him of how small she was. 

 

But she’d taken him. All of him. 

 

Rocking back, Ben pulled out to the tip before snapping his hips forward. Rey cried out again, her hands rising up to clutch at his shoulders. He slammed into her repeatedly, driving deeper and harder with each thrust until he felt her walls fluttering. He dropped a hand to her clit, circling the nerves there. 

 

“Come for me, angel,” he kissed the underside of her breast.

 

Her head fell back against the pillow as she screamed out his name. Rey shattered around him, her muscles tensing around his shaft with such force he couldn’t help bit follow her in her rapid descent.

 

They laid there, panting for a few moments, before Ben softened and rolled off of her. Rey instinctively curled against him, seeking his warmth. He wrapped an arm around her, tucking her into his side. 

 

“I’ve been thinking about that probably longer than I should have,” he admitted, kissing the crown of her head. 

 

“Me too,” Rey sighed happily. 

 

“I know we’re doing this backwards,” Ben grinned, “but would you have dinner with me?”

 

“Ben, we’ve been having breakfast, lunch and dinner together all week,” she laughed. 

 

“Yeah, but officially. You know, as a date?”

 

Her brow creased. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?”

 

Ben stared at her, unsure if she was teasing or not. Her eyes steady and her jaw trembled just slightly, as if she was afraid of his answer. 

 

_Oh...oh, his sweet, sweet girl._

 

“Whatever you want, Rey,” Ben pulled her closer, hugging her to his naked chest. “Whatever you want, angel, it’s yours.”

 

“Well,” She drawled, trailing a finger up his side. “I’d really like to do that again.”

 

Ben smirked and flipped her over so she was beneath him once more.

 

He’d never been able to deny Rey anything.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi [@wewantreylo](https://wewantreylo.tumblr.com/)


End file.
